Electric relay



Nov. 8-, 192 7.

AVE. HUDD ELECTRIC RELAY Filed. June 21, 921

/ AVAV/ Patented Nov. 8, 19 27.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE. I

ALFRED ERNEST HUDD, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC RELAY.

Application filed June 21, 1921, Serial No. 479,322, and in Great Britain August 22, 1919.

My invention relates to improvements in or relating to electric relays and more particularly to that type oftrelay employed in railway signalling systems and known as the 5 track circuit relay.

The usual construction of this type of relay consists of a double limbedvertical electromagnet with the. armature mounted on horizontal pivots beneath it. The armature is under gravity control and has mounted on it a number of contact fingers which are adapted to make electrical connection with fixed contacts. The armas ture and its associated contacts are enclosed in a case and as the electro-magnets project above it, it is diflicult to provide a construction which is both robust and weatherproof, which properties are most important in relays of this type. V

The object of the present invention is to provide a relay which readily adapts itself to a robust and weatherproof construction while at the same time it is eflicient and moreover it is cheaper to manufacture than the usual constructions.

With this object in view, according to my invention a horizontal electro-magnet is employed having an armature pivoted on a horizontal axis parallel to and below the core of the. electromagnet. w

A plate suitably shaped as to fit over the electro-magnet and fitted with terminals may be provided which plate when fitted to a box in a water ti ht manner forms a complete 86 cover for the electro-magnet the armatureand its associated contact fingers as also for the fixed contacts; the result is that the whole forms avery compact, serviceable and durable track circuit relay which in ad- 40 dition has the electrical properties of being,

both efiicient and having a comparatively small margin between operating and release currents, a very desirable feature in this class of apparatus.

Further details of my invention will be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which: 7

Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation of a track circuit relay, embracing the features of the present invention, g

Figure 2 shows an inverted plan of the same relay with thebase removed.

The relay. comprises an. electromagnet having a core 1, cheeks 2 of magnetic material such as Swedish iron, secured to flanges 5 'on a cover plate 3 by means of set screws 4. The'cover plate 3 is preferably shaped so as to conform to that of the electromagnet as shown, and in addition to serving as a support for the electro-magnet' it serves asa support for the bracket 7 carrying the armature 8 by means ofthe pivot screws 6 secured to the flanges 5.

As will be seen from the figures, the armature extends the whole length of the core being supported so as to be separated from the core by a small air gap so that when the electro magnet is excited the armature is attracted and tends to turn'about an axis through the pivot screws 6 parallel to the core 1 of the relay. The armature is under gravity control so as to be sure of restoring and not tobe subjected to the possible failure of springs or like restoring means.

One advantage of the long length armature is that there is ample room for mounting the contact members 9, four of which are shown mountedindependently on the armature being insulated therefrom by insulating studs, preferably made of that insulating material which is known under the registere trade-mark Galalith.-

.-The cover 3 which is preferably rectangular as shown, has insulated terminals se-- cured thereto which may be arranged as follows :-Four terminals 11 on the right hand side of the cover each of which is immediately behind a corresponding contact member 9, to which it is connected by a flexible connection 12; four terminals 13 on the left hand side of the cover to which the contact members 9 are adapted, to make connection when the armature is attracted; two ter-, minals 14 connected to the winding of the electro-magnet and arranged one on each side of the terminals 11, and two corresponding terminals 15 on each side of the terminals '13, having projecting tongues 16 to which the outside contact mem ers 9' normally make connection.

.' Around he periphery the cover 'is a facin screws en aged with the upright pillars 19 and there y forcing'the rubber gasket 22 against the upper edges of the glass plates 20 and 21- and the pillars so that all the operated arts are thoroughly and efliciently protecte The terminals 11 and 13 and the contact members 9 are similar .to those gen erally adopted in railwaysignalling apparatus of this type and the construction is clearly shown 1n the drawing. It will be appreciated that the combination of a horizontal electro-magnet with a horizontal armature leads to a very compact construction of track circuit relay adapted to been-- closed readily in a simple case in a weatherproof and watertight manner.

Further, *by arranging the armature to move about an axis parallel to the core a very eflicient relay has been evolved which armature further lends itself'to being ex tended the length of the electromagnet and thus enabling a large numberof contact -members to be mounted so that they may be examined, removed, and replaced'independently'of each other. i

The sco e of the invention will be better understoo by referring to the accompanying claims as it will be appreciated that'de-g tails of the construction may be consider ably modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

, Having fully described and ascertained the features and aspects oi my invention,

what I consider to be new and desire to have protected by Letters'Patent will be pointed out in the a pended claims.

What I c mm is: 1. A track circuit relay for railway signalling systems comprising an electromagnet having. a single horizontal core, circular cheeks of magnetic material fitted on sfiid core, a winding on said core substantially filling up the space between said cheeks, an armature curved to conform to part of the circumference of said cheeks and supported 'on horizontal pivots so as to extend from one cheek to the other and contact members,

mounted on said armature and adapted to make or break connection with fixed contact members depending upon the movement of said armature.

2. A track circuit relay comprising a box,

a cover adapted to be fitted to said box in a water-tight manner, brackets extending from opposite ends of said cover, an electromagnet adapted to fit snugly in a recess in said cover between said brackets, an armature for said electromagnet, cheeks on said electromagnet,

screws threaded through holes in said brackets and terminating in circular pins for engaglng in circular holes in said checks to support said electromagnet in position and two other screws similarly threaded through. 

